May 12 Concert Review: Vaadat Charigim

Shoegaze music is interesting to me. I can listen to it most of the time without issue. I can play it in my car and drive to it, I can play it on my laptop and work to it, I can play it on my record player and do chores to it. But seeing it live is another thing. I think it's because Shoegaze is meant to be listened to as you "go with the flow" - it's constantly fluid and full of motion. When I'm standing at a show and listening to it, I feel like my hands must be busy working on something or my mind must be focusing on a task.

This was my first time seeing Dent live and I was impressed with their perfect blend of drums and guitars; even their vocals blended perfectly. I will definitely see them again. Bear State was a recognizable band as I had interacted with its members before. They played songs I remembered since listening to their album, but were amplified and full in the small space of Trunk Space.

Vaadat Charigim definitely bumped up intensity with its alternative-Shoegaze ambience. The bass was thumping the whole way through and the whirling guitars moved up and down the scale and in volume that it was like going through a cyclone. All of their songs are sung entirely in Hebrew, which adds to the animosity of the band members. Some of their newer tracks had a relative mix of Real Estate and Peter Bjorn & John. If Sex Bob-Omb(the angry trio from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) was a Shoegaze band, it'd be Vaadat: fuzz-infused bass with electrifying drums and guitars that command attention and showcase talent. Hearing their new songs definitely got me excited for their new album.

I heard Trunk Space had gotten an air conditioner, but it was still really hot inside. I'd have to step outside to feel cooler. And the noise is still reverberating against the walls in Trunk Space. I would've loved to see this show at Crescent, but another show was booked prior. Still, the music and familiar faces were enough to make the heat bearable.

The new Vaadat Charigim album Sinking As a Stone comes out next week on Burger Records.